K, here's numba three on popular demand from all my fans (ha, I've got fans!! ^^)

Ahem. Sorry, almost lost my cool for a second. Anyway here ya go!

Reality

The kid opened his eyes. There were colors, reds and yellows and oranges, all forming a blurry pattern. He strained to focus and slowly the colors began to sharpen. Soon he could make out the woven cloth hanging from the ceiling. He raised his gloved hand and looked at it. It seemed fine, wrist worked ok. He flexed his fingers a little, watching them with dazed amusement. Yep that's ok.

He tried lifting his head, but it was too heavy and his neck hurt. Letting his hand flop across his chest, he closed his sandy eyelids. Inhale, exhale... let's see. He tried moving his legs a little to test if they were broken, and flexed his other arm. Nothing hurt exceptionally, but every inch of him was sore. He groaned.

Soon after assessing that he was more or less ok questions started buzzing through his head.

Where am I? Who am I? And what the hell is going on? He tried to remember, searching his mind for clues. All he found was darkness. He remembered being cold and wet, and the pale light in the water. He tried harder. More darkness… shifting sand and flickering firelight.

Oh come on! He turned his head and pain shot through his neck. The view didn't improve much either. Light? Sand? What the heck did that mean? There had to be more than that! He glared at the ceiling. The light wasn't exactly great, and the cloth was hanging high enough above him that it could have been a roof. Maybe he was in a tent. Not much, but it was a start.

He couldn't hear anyone else nearby, other than some chirping insects outside. There was a kind of smoky smell in the air but it wasn't hot enough to be a fire nearby. He was lying on a coarse cloth, but couldn't be sure if it was ground or a bead.

Damn this is frustrating.

Just then, sounds floated from outside. He listened closely. They were voices.

"It can't be. He died almost a year ago at the end of the pilgrimage." It sounded like a very old man, about sixty or seventy.

"Look, I know it doesn't make any sense, but it's him. I'm positive." The second voice sounded younger, maybe around 18. He thought hard, but couldn't make a connection to either of them.

"Really? Well if that is indeed him, maybe you could share your thoughts on how he got here or possibly where he's been?" There was a pause, and the other voice mumbled something in response. He strained to block out the crickets in the background. he needed any answers he could get.

The old guy started up again. "I agree that he does have a striking semblance. But before there is solid proof, I don't think we should go around shouting falsities. It isn't wise to start such rumors…"

Why don't these guys use names? he moaned to himself. Who the heck is "He"!?!

"It is possible, though." The young guy said. "Don't you think Maester Yuna would want to know, even if it isn't really him?"

Yuna! Tidus started up but his neck screamed with pain and he flopped back onto the cloth. Images came flooding back. The aeons, Lake Macalania, Yuna standing there, innocently, her eyes…

Yes! He was remembering. Tidus let out a sigh of relief as the memories floated to the surface. There was Rikku and Lulu, and Wakka of course and Auron- Wait a minute, Yuna? A Maester?

I thought only crusty old guys could be-

"I think the lady has enough to deal with right now. It's probably best if we just keep him here until he is well enough to travel. But, especially in the light of recent events, there seems to be little need to bother people with this matter." The younger one gave in.

"I guess you're right. Whoever he is, I'm sure he's had a pretty tough day." With that the voices stopped, and he was left alone with the crickets. The pain in his neck was dulling, but his head had started to hurt. He sighed painfully as the last couple of memories came back.

"It's Tidus. I'm Tidus."

---

We are all greatful to you for keeping Spira alive. And I would like to thank you for keeping its dream alive. I hope that you have- Yuna scribbled out the last line. I hope…

The moon crept between trees in the night forest. Cool breeze blew softly, rustling his hair. A thousand tiny pyreflies glimmered with electricity as they danced across the surface of the lake. Tears ran with water down her cheek.

Yuna shook her head. She must have looked so stupid, soaking wet and crying like a little girl. How could she have lost it like that? She let the fear build up for too long, had let herself slip up and break down. And of all the people in the world, she had messed up in front of him.

Such and Idiot.

He didn't seem to mind, though. Yuna blushed. She tried to focus back on the letter. I hope that… The memory came anyway. Her eyes closed as his hand brushed her cheek. It was just so….

Door! Yuna sat upright as Kimahri walked into the room, carrying some paper. He put it on the desk.

"Lulu says she needs speech." He said. Then looked closely at her. "Yuna okay?"

"Yes!" she tried to gather herself a little and put on a happy face. "Yes, thank you."

"Yuna shouldn't work so hard." He grumbled. "Should take a break."

"Uh yes, maybe in a little bit." Kimahri nodded, then left.

She exhaled and dropped the smile. Her elbow bumped the letter as she turned back to it, revealing several small sketches of Tidus.

You still are a stupid little girl.

Pushing away from her desk she got up and walked into the hallway. She felt completely exhausted. It was probably just the work, she thought, dragging her hand along the stone wall. But there was always a kind of… emptiness, that followed her around. It wasn't just Tidus either, she assured herself. Whenever she wasn't focusing on signing a treaty or writing a speech, her mind wandered back to the days of her pilgrimage.

"I am pathetic." She stared at the floor. "Lulu's running Spira, Wakka's playing blitzball, and Rikku's off rebuilding her city. I'm the only one who's still clinging to a memory." Taking her eyes from the floor, she found herself in the memorial room.

Weapons hung across the walls next to portraits and weathered maps. At one end was a picture of Yuna and her guardians on the hull of the airship. It was her favorite picture, with everyone standing together. Their faces brought back memories.

Auron was in the back, with one hand resting on the handle of his katana. His serious stare could be seen through shaded glasses, and his calm expression peaked from behind a raised collar. Next to him there was Kimahri, standing tall and immovable, like a mountain, with arms crossed over his chest. His eyes had the same petrifying look as always, but also a hint of amusement, just like the Kimahri she had known all her life. Poking up between the two was Rikku; her optimistic smile twinkled through their stoic auras. She only came up to their shoulders, and even then it looked like she was standing on tiptoes.

Then there was Wakka and Lulu. They were complete opposites, but there seemed to be some chemistry between them. Wakka stood on one side, with his blitzball cradled under one arm and a large grin on his face. He looked like he could break out laughing any second. Despite all his attempts to be athorative, he was still just a kid in a grownup's body. Lulu leaned at the other end of the spectrum. Cool and calculating, she always knew what was going on, and always the best way to deal with it. She stood off to the other side, with one flaming hand held out in front of her. Her expression was ice cold, and sharp enough to cut stone.

Then finally there was Yuna and Tidus. They were at the front, Tidus in ready position, with the Brotherhood sword in one hand, and Yuna was standing next to him, holding her staff behind her. Tidus's sense of adventure and excitement was written all over his face. Just from his eyes you could tell he was ready to take on any challenge. Sometimes he could be a little impulsive, but that always made things more interesting.

Yuna was embarrassed to look at her own portrait. She had exaggerated herself a little as she painted. Her hair was slightly longer and had a much more carefree style in the wind. Her chest was larger too, she noted uncomfortably. It wasn't something she'd done on purpose, but it became painfully obvious looking at it now.

"There you are." Lulu came up behind her. "Have you finished the letter yet?" Yuna shook her head absently, still looking at the painting. Lulu stopped to look too, and for a moment they both just stared at it.

"It's very good. You should be proud." She turned to Yuna. "I remember when you started it. Two months after the fight with Sin. Everything had started calming down, and one day you were moping around the house. Wakka told you to do something to take your mind off things. Do you remember?"

Yuna smiled a little. "Yes"

"When you were just starting, you didn't like how it was turning out. But you stayed with it, and now look at what it has become. It's beautiful." Yuna didn't reply and there was silence again.

"… Do you ever think about it? The pilgrimage I mean." Lulu didn't answer, and Yuna continued. "Those days were so frightening. On the airship, I remember starring out the window and just wondering how it would end. Everyone was counting on us, and I was afraid of what might happen. It was scary and exciting…" She never took her eyes from the picture. "…I wish I was back there."

"Yuna, Spira is growing. People change and things die. There is no way to stop that, and to survive you have to change also. I know how you feel; I've felt the same way. Even after it seems like there is nothing left to live for, life goes on." Yuna lowered her eyes. "But if you stop daydreaming for a second and look around, you may realize that the world isn't so bleak." Lulu's voice was harsh, but she was right. She turned to leave. "By the way, you have a visitor."

--

It was evening by the time they'd finished eating, and the sun had already sunk into the ocean. Twilight gave a bluish tint to the marble buildings in Luca. The air was pleasant, with breeze that carried the sound and smell of the water with it.

Wakka waved goodbye as he exited the Cafe and made his way to the street. There wasn't anybody else out because of the game; all the walkways were empty. After practice he'd treated the boys to an early dinner that consisted mostly of laughing and recalling old blitz stories. They were a nice bunch of guys, and hanging out with them helped Wakka forget all the stuff he was supposed to remember. What would I do without em? He thought, walking from the lit-up storefront.

Kira waited by a fountain in the middle of the street. The wind rustled her deep blue hair as she stared out across the ocean. Wakka jogged up to her.

"Hey" She took her attention from the water and smiled at him.

"Thanks for walking me home."

"Ah, no problem. Finally gives us a chance to talk, ya?" She nodded and they started off down the white street.

"So… why dontcha tell me about yourself? Like for starters, where'd ya learn to blitz like that?" Kira grinned.

"Well, I've played since I was little, and I was always pretty good at it. My dad used to bet on the teams and he would always take me to the games." She looked around at the stone buildings and great curving archways. "I guess living in Luca, you get blitzball everywhere you look."

Wakka chuckled. "Yea, I know what you mean." He gazed the horizon. "So, how long have ya lived here?"

"My whole life." She answered simply.

"Really?" Wakka fell silent, and for a while they just walked. But his curiosity got to him.

"Uhh, Kira… I don't mean any disrespect here or anythin, but I have to ask. It's just that, well you don't sound exactly-"

"Ronso?" She smiled. "I get that a lot." She brushed several strands of from her eyes. "I grew up here in Luca. Actually, I've never even been to the mountains before."

"Oh." Wakka scratched uncomfortably at the back of his neck. "Well, that explains a lot." Kira just laughed lightly.

"You don't have to stress about it, I really don't care. Sometimes it's funny how people react, but I'm used to it." They both laughed a little.

"Yea, well, I've learned not to judge a book by its cover. I'm just a little curious." Wakka felt a little easier now that that was out of the way. "Besides, you are an amazin blitzer."

She liked that. "Really?"

"Oh yea! I haven't seen moves like that since…" She waited. "Well, not in a while, ya?" Kira seemed to take it, and a look of satisfaction spread across her face.

"Does that mean… I'm in?" She sounded like a hopeful kid asking for an autograph.

Wakka chuckled. "Well that's really up to the boys. Yaknow I'm not their 'official' coach anymore. But by the way they acted at dinner, yea I'd say you're in."

"That's great! I've waited a while for this..." The excitement subsided slightly. "But yea, they are a pretty crazy group." Kira said.

"I wouldn't have em any other way though." Wakka answered. Stars were appearing overhead, but the horizon was still light blue. "Hey Kira? I wanna ask you somethin."

"Yea?"

"Why'd you try out for the Aurochs?" He was aware of how dumb it sounded, but he continued. "I mean, did the Goers kick you out or somethin?"

"The Goers?" She started laughing again. "I never even tried out for them! Their team may be good, but it takes more than that, yaknow? And every time they show up on the sphere it's just… ugh, I can't stand them! And, well, what's the point if you're not gonna have fun, right?"

"Hehe, yea I guess ya got a point."

"The Aurochs were my favorite team when I was younger. All the other kids used to tease me about it, but I never stopped rooting for you guys. Guess I just have a thing for the underdogs."

"Uh thanks… I think." Wakka was still trying to get over the fact that a prodigy blitzer just fell into his lap right before the tournament. Again. He shook his head. What the Aurochs lacked in skill they made up with luck.

"So you tried out because the Auroch's were your favorites, huh? That the only reason?"

Kira thought a moment. "Yea that's it. Mostly."

"Mostly?"

They walked beneath a giant arch and entered into one of Luca's main squares. The place was asleep. Everyone was out at the game. The echoing cheers from the stadium could be heard all the way in the town.

In the middle of the square was a gigantic statue of Tidus, lunging into the air out of a large fountain. His hands spread out to the side for balance, and an enormous blitzball rested on his forehead. Water flowed down the statue, raining from his hair and fingertips.

Kira walked to the edge of the fountain. Her head only came up to Tidus's shin. Wakka followed her.

"I watched him all last season." She said, looking up at the statue. "He was just… incredible."

Wakka grinned. "Yea, well, Tidus was one hell of a blitzer."

"Ha! I know. I'll never forget the tournament. I still can't believe you guys made the last round!" Kira leaned against the wall of the fountain. "That was the first game he played in, too. I remember my dad muttering about how the Aurochs finally hired somebody new. 'Hope he can swim' he said."

"Haha! I bet he figured that out pretty soon, ya?"

"Ha, yea. The Goers threw their whole team at him but it didn't even slow him down! And then he made that shot!"

"Hm?" Wakka tried to remember.

"The Jecht shot!" She looked back at the statue in admiration. "Ever since that moment I've wanted to play just like him."

"Really?" Wakka looked at the statue. It wasn't half-bad, actually. It always brought back memories of the pilgrimage. Ha, Tidus was always the lucky one. Wakka's statue in Besaid had come out looking like a grinning ape. Still, a statue in your name was nothin to laugh at.

"Well, seein you play today, I'd say you could probably even teach him a few things, ya?"

"I wish." She looked back at Wakka. "You knew him, what was he like?"

"Tidus? Ah, he was a winner. He always had a smile, ya know? And other people always came first ta him. He could be a little slow sometimes…" He shook his head. "But it was always pretty funny. We were like brothers-" he paused for a second. "Anyway, you two'd probably hit it off."

Kira nodded. "He died on the pilgrimage though, right?"

"Ha! Nah, Tidus'd never die. He may not be here, but you won't find him in the farplane anytime soon."

There was a silence while she thought that over. "What happened to him?"

Wakka looked at the statue one more time. His face became solemn. "Maybe I'll tell ya sometime." Then he turned and they walked into town.

Right, come back tomarrow for the next one! And thanks for sticking with it so far. Trust me, you're almost at the interesting part ~_^